清君側

Chinese

		clear; distinct; complete clear; distinct; complete; pure	monarch; lord; gentleman monarch; lord; gentleman; ruler	lean on one side; the side; to incline towards lean on one side; the side; to incline towards; to lean; inclined; lateral; side
trad. (清君側)		清	君	側
simp. (清君侧)		清	君	侧

Etymology

Based on an entry in Gongyang Zhuan:

晉趙鞅取晉陽之甲，以逐荀寅與士吉射。荀寅與士吉射者，曷為者也？君側之惡人也。此逐君側之惡人。 [MSC, trad.]

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晋赵鞅取晋阳之甲，以逐荀寅与士吉射。荀寅与士吉射者，曷为者也？君侧之恶人也。此逐君侧之恶人。 [MSC, simp.]

Jìn Zhàoyāng qǔ jìnyáng zhī jiǎ, yǐ zhú Xúnyín yǔ Shìjíshè. Xúnyín yǔ Shìjíshè zhě, hé wèi zhě yě? Jūn cè zhī èrén yě. Cǐ zhú jūn cè zhī èrén. [Pinyin]

Zhao Yang, from the feudal state of Jin, captured Jinyang (now Taiyuan) in order to expel Xunyin and Shijishe. Who were they? They were evil people around the ruler (of the feudal state of Jin). This expelled these evil people around the ruler.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): qīngjūncè

  (Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄥ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄘㄜˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): cing¹ gwan¹ zak¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: qīngjūncè
    • Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄥ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄘㄜˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cingjyuncè
    • Wade–Giles: chʻing¹-chün¹-tsʻê⁴
    • Yale: chīng-jyūn-tsè
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chingjiuntseh
    • Palladius: цинцзюньцэ (cinczjunʹcɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sʰɤ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: cing¹ gwan¹ zak¹
    • Yale: chīng gwān jāk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsing¹ gwan¹ dzak⁷
    • Guangdong Romanization: qing¹ guen¹ zeg¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ kʷɐn⁵⁵ t͡sɐk̚⁵/

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• Middle Chinese: tshjeng kjun tsrik

Rime
Character	清	君	側
Reading #	1/1	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	清 (14)	見 (28)	莊 (18)
Final (韻)	清 (121)	文 (59)	職 (134)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Closed	Open
Division (等)	III	III	III
Fanqie	七情切	舉云切	阻力切
Baxter	tshjeng	kjun	tsrik
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡sʰiᴇŋ/	/kɨun/	/t͡ʃɨk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡sʰiɛŋ/	/kiun/	/ʈ͡ʂɨk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡sʰiæŋ/	/kiuən/	/t͡ʃiek̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/t͡sʰiajŋ/	/kun/	/ʈ͡ʂik̚/
Li Rong	/t͡sʰiɛŋ/	/kiuən/	/t͡ʃiək̚/
Wang Li	/t͡sʰĭɛŋ/	/kĭuən/	/t͡ʃĭək̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/t͡sʰi̯ɛŋ/	/ki̯uən/	/ʈ͡ʂi̯ək̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	qīng	jūn	zhe
Expected Cantonese Reflex	cing1	gwan1	zik1

Phrase

清君側

1. to clear evil ministers around the ruling monarch

   安祿山以「清君側」的名義發動安史之亂，令唐朝由盛轉衰。 [MSC, trad.]
   安禄山以「清君侧」的名义发动安史之乱，令唐朝由盛转衰。 [MSC, simp.]

   Ānlùshān yǐ “qīngjūncè” de míngyì fādòng ānshǐzhīluàn, lìng tángcháo yóu shèng zhuǎn shuāi. [Pinyin]

   An Lushan initiated the An Lushan Rebellion under the pretext of "clearing evil ministers around the ruling monarch", which seriously weakened the Tang Dynasty.

Usage notes

In practice, the phrase is more frequently used as a pretext to stage a coup d'état.